Stand My Ground
by GreenLoki
Summary: He didn't want this, didn't sign up for the war or for the mental, physical, or emotional pain that followed. But he did want his freedom and he did want the emptiness inside of him to disappear. So maybe it wasn't all for nothing.


Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ

Chapter One

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* * *

Asgard was well known for its vibrant and lively city, but on that day, it was a ghost town. Even from where he sat on the ledge of his balcony, leaning his back against the stone wall, Loki could see that the animated city was lethargic and dead. It was an odd, surreal sight to behold, but with the threat of an unknown army coming closer and closer to their borders – for their own safety and protection – the people who weren't fighting were taken underground. And though it was strange to see Asgard so quiet and barren, it gave Loki a chance to look at the place he had once called home.

In his youth, he had loved every aspect of Asgard – from the Astronomy Tower on one of their mountains to the Rainbow Bridge. Loki had been awestruck by its beauty. He loved Asgard and everything in it, but now … now he did not know what to think. Closing his eyes, Loki sighed and leaned his head back, resting it against the stone wall. It had only been one year since the destruction he inflicted upon Midgard … just one year. He felt as though so much time has passed and, in a way, it had been so, so much longer. Time moved so much quicker with Thanos, and after everything that he endured there, he –

No. He couldn't. Immediately standing up, Loki took a shaky breath and shook his head, banishing those thoughts from mind. What was done is done. There was no use thinking about it now, no use obsessing and losing control over the damage that it had done to his mind and body. Pressing his palms into the stones of the ledge, Loki leaned forward some and peered over the edge, not for the first time since being allowed into his chambers, thinking about what would happen if he just decided to fall once more. A part of him wished that, if he did decide to jump, he would die like he wanted. Something was stopping him from doing so, though, and he had no idea what. Surely it wasn't the AllFather or his mother – no matter what happened, Frigga was the only one he still considered family – and it most definitely wasn't _Thor_. Just thinking about his not-brother sent a wave of anger coursing through his body, and Loki once again had to take a deep breath to keep calm.

It baffled him how ignorant and naïve Thor was to think that he still wanted anything to do with him, to allow things to go back to what they once were before Loki found out that he wasn't of Asgard. It baffled him that just because he agreed to fight in this war, Thor assumed that everything could go back to normal. He surely didn't see the bigger picture, that just because he was fighting for Asgard, everyone would accept him and allow him to 'come home' with open arms. No, Loki was hated and he was despised and he was very much considered a traitor. There was no love for him. There never would be.

Just two days ago, Thor had come to his cell – it was a glass cell, a cruel joke the AllFather played, putting him on display like the stolen relic he was – in the dungeons with a compromise, a deal. With Loki's co-operation, his sentence would be reduced. The army that was coming was powerful and magic was their greatest weapon. And in order to beat magic, one had to understand magic – that's where Loki came in. With some thought, Loki agreed. His power would be restored the moment the army invaded into Asgard, and after they were defeated, before they could recapture him for a lighter sentence, Loki would disappear. So, in a way, as he stared around at the magnificent city, it would be the last time he would ever step foot in Asgard.

Furrowing his brow, Loki shifted his gaze towards the Bifrost, his eyes narrowing as he strained to see Heimdall. The Gatekeeper saw what he sensed at the same time – the invading army, their magic. When those intensely golden eyes turned towards his balcony, Loki nodded once and vanished, only to reappear in the Throne Room, where the AllFather and his not-brother were. Their conversation stopped the moment they realised he was in the room, but Loki did not care. He merely glanced at them with a schooled countenance, his expression unreadable.

"The army is close. I can already sense their magic. We should make our way to the front-line at once."

Sighing heavily, Odin nodded his head and rose from his place. Though he looked tired and wary, he was every bit as formidable and intimidating as Loki remembered, and just the thought made him angry, because even though he hated him for all that he had done, a small part still yearned for his affection. Scowling, Loki turned away, fighting back those dangerous emoticons. He refused to feel that way – he couldn't.

"Before we depart," Putting a hand on Thor's shoulder, Odin stared intently at Loki, though his words were for them both. "I pray that you be wary and vigilant. Take care and stay safe, my sons."

Scoffing, Loki shook his head. He would not stand there and hear those lies. He would not believe them, even though they flowed through him and settled deep within his chest. He was too angry, too upset and betrayed to allow those words to mean anything to him, and it was with that thought in mind that had Loki walking out of the Throne Room. It didn't surprise him when he felt his not-brother's presence catching up with him, his booted feet pounding into the ground as he rushed to keep up with Loki's pace.

He was content with just ignoring Thor's presence, and for a few moments of silence, that's exactly what happened. The two walked down the hallway and descended the steps of the Palace of Asgard, walking through the courtyards to meet up with the soldiers. Though the quiet was a welcome to Loki, he wondered when it would be the undoing of Thor. He was never one to remain in silence and always filled it with his booming voice. The thought had just crossed his mind when, suddenly, a hand wrapped around his upper arm, yanking him to a stop. He opened his mouth to snarl something fierce at his not-brother, but the words slipped from his tongue when Thor jerked him close, their noses almost touching.

"Is this how it is to be now? You will ignore and denounce me – your own brother?" Thor growled. His once booming voice was now barely above a whisper.

"I thought we already had this conversation on your beloved Midgard. I'm not your brother – I never was," Loki replied with as much venom as he could muster.

A harsh word or an insult would usually do the trick of offending Thor, but not this time. Instead of releasing him and letting him go, Thor's sparkling blue eyes merely darkened as his grip tightened. It was uncharacteristic and unexpected of his not-brother, but Loki did not allow his thoughts reflect through his expression. His emerald green gaze glared back into Thor's, waiting, fighting every instinct to jerk free of the grip.

"What would you have me do to make this right?" Thor demanded through gritted teeth.

Loki barked a laugh, though there was no humour behind it, only anger. "You cannot undo hundreds of years' worth of _imagined slights_."

"Do not use my words against me!" And there that booming voice was, backed with a rumble of thunder in the distance – a show of Thor's rising anger. He shook Loki once, his grip almost bruising. "Those words were used in a fit of rage! I realise your sufferings and only wish to offer my help! I do not enjoy your pain!"

"Even though you were the one to cause it," Loki hissed, ripping himself from Thor's hold. He took a step back, not out of fear of Thor taking a hold of him again, but for distancing himself from the emotions that were welling up within him, threatening to burst free. Because Loki could see how sincere Thor was. He could see how true his words were, and that pained him more than anything, because he wanted to be angry, he wanted to suffer. "You are nothing to me, _brother_, and nothing you do will ever make this right."

"How can you say that? I am not as daft as you would have me believe – I can read you almost as well as you can read me. You need me, brother –"

"I have no need of you!" Loki shouted.

"– and I need you just as much," Thor concluded, not stopped when Loki shouted back in rage. He took a step closer, grabbing a hold of Loki's arm again when he went to take another step back. "I will not abandon you. Just let me help you."

Loki wanted to jerk his arm out of Thor's grasp, but found that he was unable. His chest was rising and falling, both out of desperation and fury. He would not allow his not-brother to bring up such emoticons in him. Those emoticons he buried deep down inside of him – he couldn't accept Thor's love, couldn't need him, not anymore. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't banish those emotions away. They were always there, washing over him in his darkest moments, comforting him with their memory. It was just as much of a blessing as it was a curse.

"The last time we fought, I let you live …" Loki's voice came out shaky when he finally spoke, but he forced out his words just the same. "I will not make the same mistake twice. Release me and _let me go_."

He meant it more than physically, and he knew that Thor caught onto his implication almost immediately. His sparkling blue eyes saddened and his entire body tensed, but Thor was stubborn and unrelenting, and his hold on Loki remained firm, despite the hurt that Loki was able to inflict upon him with his words.

"Thor … Loki …"

Surprised that they had an audience, Loki's head snapped in the direction of the voice, seeing the Lady Sif and the Warriors Three standing a short distance from where they stood. All four of them looked cautious and hesitant as they looked from Thor to Loki, unsure of if they should come any closer.

"We must go. They are close," Loki finally said, returning his gaze to Thor, who was still staring at him with that same hurt expression.

"Loki –"

With all of the strength that he possessed, Loki yanked his arm out of Thor's unyielding grip once more. With nothing more but a glare in his not-brother's direction, Loki continued walking towards the front-line. After a moment, he could hear Thor's footsteps behind him, as well as the footsteps of the Lady Sif and the Warriors Three, but he was thankful that they did not disturb or try to speak to him. Now was not the time to seek forgiveness and redemption. Now was not the time to beg and plead for second chances. They had an unknown enemy pursuing victory and a home to protect. Their differences and troubles would have to be put to the side until they had saved Asgard.

* * *

Thor, the AllFather, they were all banished from his mind as he stared at the approaching army, his brows furrowed, confusion written across his features. Loki was standing on some large rocks along with several other archers, all of whom were aiming at their enemy, their bows arched and ready for his word. Fandral was with him, and whether he was there to assist him or to watch him, Loki was still trying to determine.

"This enemy is strong and wields great power. But we will not let them defeat us!" Thor shouted, his speech pumping up the Asgardians, who cheered and yelled in agreement.

It was classic of Thor to scream and shout words of encouragement to their fellow soldiers, to get them ready for the fight. Not interested in anything his not-brother had to say, Loki turned his attention back to the army. He could sense their magic much better now, but it … it didn't feel right. There was something wrong with it, something that wasn't making sense. Magic was a part of Loki, something he could sense throughout his entire being, but this … it was all congregating into one person – perhaps their leader. Loki wasn't sure. It was old, though, that much he could tell.

"We are Asgardians! We are strong! And we will destroy this army!" Thor's words caused a shout of applause from all of the soldiers, and it caused Loki to shake his head and roll his eyes. "They are no better than those of Muspelheim, they are no better than those of Svartaltheim, and they are no better than those of Jotunheim!"

Loki could tell right away that Jotunheim slipped out of Thor's mouth accidentally. He could tell by the way his head snapped in Loki's direction, his sparkling blue eyes wide and practically screaming for forgiveness. Loki did not care, though it did nothing to stop a shot of pain coursing through his body, slamming harshly into his heart. He leaned against the large rocks and clenched his fists and he stared down, wondering why he didn't just jump off of his own ledge to avoid all of this.

It was a moment before Thor continued and, by the tone of his voice, it sounded as though he was trying to fake his elation now. "Do not fight for your King, for your Queen, or for your Princes. Fight for your home, fight for your families, and fight for your very lives, because we will mean nothing if this enemy wins!"

The Asgardian soldiers appeased, Thor turned to Loki, though Loki paid him no attention. Swallowing past the pain, he turned his emerald green eyes back towards the invading army, searching through each of the soldiers to find the source of the magic. Their leader was not it, but that didn't mean that it wasn't him. It was a clever move to hide in the masses of the soldiers, but Loki would find the source.

"Fandral," Loki called after a moment. When he felt the man's presence, he angled his head slightly towards Fandral, but kept his eyes roaming over the enemy soldiers. "Tell Thor that only one wields magic. Those soldiers are no greater threat."

Fandral moved to go, but stopped suddenly. When Loki faced him, he saw that Fandral's gaze was to the invading soldiers, his crystal blue eyes full of the same confusion that he, too, felt upon the discovery. He looked to Loki then. "I do not understand. Heimdall and Odin both felt this magic."

Loki nodded. "They were not wrong, though they were about who wields it," Fandral's expression looked as though he was struggling to keep up. Sighing softly, Loki tried another approach. "When you are facing an enemy, when you are fighting for your life, you feel it all over your body, do you not?" Fandral nodded his head. "The same is for me when I use magic. It's not collecting in one place, but all over. It fuels us, does it not?"

"I feel indestructible when I'm sparring or fighting a foe."

"This magic, it is only in one place. At the command of the wielder, it moves. These soldiers do not use magic, but they have been affected by it. There are traces, but nothing constant."

"Are they being controlled?" Fandral questioned.

"Certainly not," Loki shook his head, glancing back at the invading army. "These men were given a choice to fight, but they are doing it under false pretences. There is a motive that we have not discovered for this attack."

Putting a hand on Loki's back – something that he had always done when they were close – Fandral moved away. "I shall inform Thor and be back soon, my Prince."

Despite telling himself that he was not wanted or needed in Asgard, despite putting barriers and walls around to protect himself, Loki couldn't help but feel stumped and shocked by Fandral's words, by the confidence that he felt in Loki and what he had said. There was trust and there was protection. From Fandral not questioning his discovery to touching his back – it was all the things that Fandral did when they were younger and in tight situations. That was one of the many reasons why Fandral was always Loki's favourite. He was not daft like Volstagg, full of judgment like Sif, nor was he suspicious like Hogun. He listened to Loki and he protected Loki, even if he never needed it. And now, after everything that had happened, Fandral still referred to Loki as his Prince. He did not know how to handle that, because he had not been expecting it.

Sighing, Loki pushed the thoughts from his mind. Right now, all he had time to focus on was the army that was walking through the plains on the southern side of the Palace, coming closer and closer. He watched and he searched for the one who wielded the magic. Fandral returned to his side a few moments after he left, but didn't say anything. After several hundred years of being in battle with him, the blonde warrior knew when to stay silent and when he needed to speak.

The silence was needed and very much appreciated, but as the minutes grew longer and the invading army drew closer, Loki found himself getting frustrated. He could not find the wielder, no matter how hard he tried. Loki knew that he needed to conserve his magic – he would have need of it during the battle – but he couldn't understand how he was unable to find the one who was controlling the power. Fandral seemed to catch onto his anger, for he hesitantly put a hand on Loki's shoulder, gaining his attention.

"I cannot find the wielder," Loki said, answering the question that Fandral was expressing through his gaze. He shook his head and rubbed his temple – he was already straining enough. And then abruptly, Loki turned and made his way off of the large rocks he was standing on with the archers. He made his way towards Thor, who was standing with the Lady Sif and Volstagg. "Thor."

"Brother," Thor said, his gaze snapping towards Loki when his voice sounded from behind him. Whatever it was he was saying to his two friends was lost on him, for his attention was now permanently locked onto Loki. The action made him sick. Even after everything, Thor still believed in him, believed that everything would be alright. How wrong he was. "What have you discovered?"

"I have discovered nothing. Whatever magic is being used, it was old – older than I have ever come across. It is something even I do not understand. I cannot find the one who wields it."

Thor exhaled slowly and nodded his head, his gaze searching his brother's before looking around at the warriors that were standing in formation, their weapons at the ready. Despite his bloodlust, Loki could see that Thor was hesitant and careful about how he would proceed. Perhaps it was finally dawning on him that he could not always jump into battle and expect to make it out alive. Perhaps he was finally learning his lesson after what happened a year ago in Jotunheim. Whatever the reason, Loki did not allow his emotions to flicker across his face. He remained cold and impassive as he waited for Thor to speak.

"Only one wields the power. Has he passed some on to any of his soldiers?" Thor asked after a moment.

Mildly impressed, Loki snorted softly and nodded his head. "There were at least twenty that I found that had meagre powers. I do not know the lengths of which they'll use it, so it would be wiser if I were to hunt them down and slay them. I do not think they will pose much of a threat, but if they are unsure of how to use their newly given power, it may be dangerous if they were left alive longer than necessary."

"Then it would indeed be wiser to take them out," Thor glanced at Fandral who was standing at Loki's side. "Fandral will assist you. Stay with him, my friend."

"Of course," Fandral nodded his head.

Though there was no assumptions behind Thor's words, Loki could not help the anger that boiled within him to slip. Emerald green eyes narrowed darkly and Loki felt his hands clench into tight fists. Did he not get to choose who he wanted to accompany him? Did he not get to choose whether or not he wanted someone to accompany him? Though there might not have been any meaning behind his not-brother's words, Loki felt like Thor was implying that he wasn't trusted enough to go off on his own. It made him angry and, in a way, hurt.

"I just told you that I did not know who wielded the magic and that there were several of them that had some residual powers inside of them. I am the only one on this plain who wields and understands magic, and you want me to bring along Fandral, who will not be able to protect himself against it should it be used upon him?" His words were harsh and meant to cause damage. Thor opened his mouth to speak, but Loki was too angry to allow him to make even a small noise. "Or is it that you do not trust me enough to go off on my own? Do you think that I will try to escape and leave you to deal with this foe on your own? Have I not already agreed to the terms that you presented me in my display case a few days ago?"

"Loki, enough," Thor exclaimed, his voice raising just enough to grasp his attention and hold onto it. Now was not the time to fight and argue. "I did not mean to insult you, brother, I only wished for Fandral to accompany you to better protect you. That is all."

"I do not need your protection. I never did and I never will," Loki stared hard at Thor until his not-brother looked away, his sparkling blue eyes losing their usual brightness. Turning away, Loki motioned for the blonde warrior to follow him. They needed to take their place before the battle begun. "Come along, Fandral."

The southern side of the Palace had a beautiful view of the mountains and of a glorious waterfall that flowed through the cracks. It was a majestic sight, though so close to an invading army left several places where enemies could hide. Loki and Fandral headed towards the mountains at a quick pace, trying to get there before the sound of metal clashing together filled the air, before the sound of screams – both in victory and in defeat – deafened them.

"Why are we moving towards the mountains?" Fandral asked after a few moments of silence. Perhaps he was making sure that Loki's anger died down some before pressing him with questions. It was another reason why Fandral was his favourite. Despite his narcissism, the blonde warrior used his brain more than his friends thought.

"Magic comes from nature. It is something that is born within you or something that you can learn. But all magic, no matter how it comes to be, always starts and ends with nature. It grows with age – as does the mountains, which contains both earth and water," Loki explained, quickening his pace when he heard Thor shouting. He knew the battle was just now getting started. At least they had a head start. "It will better help me find the few that hold the magic – they'll need the elements to strengthen their power, as it will with my own. And it'll help you kill those who try to use the mountains to get closer to the Palace."

"You are not worried."

Loki paused only for a moment before glancing back at Fandral. Another shout had him redirecting his attention past Fandral, just in time to see the two armies collide. Emerald green eyes scanned the scene, noting several soldiers from the enemy side sneaking towards the mountains. More were coming than he originally though, which shocked him. He did not sense that many meagre wielders …

"We must make haste," Loki said, nodding towards the lot that was coming. He and Fandral continued their journey, moving quicker towards the mountains. "I am not worried about the army. Though we may lose many brave warriors, we will defeat this force. I only worry for the cause. This is a distraction of sorts. No one would be foolish enough to send such a small army to defeat Asgard. We are too strong – they would know this before coming here."

"You think this is a trap? Something bigger is coming?" Fandral questioned when he and Loki finally got to the mountains.

Grabbing a hold of the rocks, Fandral and Loki climbed up the mountain until they found crevices large enough to hide in. There were several in that particular mountain, which allowed for transport and access. They did not have long, but the time they were presented with was enough to get themselves ready for their own battle. Loki pulled out one of his daggers and pressed himself against the rocks, waiting.

"We will win this battle today, but this is not the end," Loki said, his voice softer this time. He could not see Fandral, but after hundreds of years, Loki was easily able to tell where he was. "Something bigger is coming. I do not know what yet."

Fandral did not get the chance to reply, for no sooner had those words left Loki's mouth, the soldiers attacked.

* * *

A lot had changed for Loki after finding out _what _he truly was. After finding out that he was a lie, that Loki Odinson wasn't real, that his family wasn't even his real family, Loki had cut himself off from the rest of the world. He even cut him_self_ off. He tried to forget, tried to hate. He tried to scorn everything that he had once loved, but the one thing that kept him from losing himself completely was the memories. Loki could still remember everything, the good and the bad memories, the memorable ones and the ones he'd forgot since they were just too embarrassing to recall. Loki wanted change, _needed _change for his transformation to be complete. Loki Odinson wasn't real, and Loki refused to allow his Frost Giant parentage to become him. He wished only to be Loki – Loki of No-One.

But, as he threw his daggers and as he whispered curses at his enemy, Loki couldn't help but feel as though all the bad never happened. The family that claimed him was truly his own, Thor his real brother. He never fell from the Bifrost; never fell through the Void, never encountered Thanos and all of the tortures to ensure his obedience. He was in fact Loki Odinson, Son of Odin "AllFather", Brother of Thor. And he was happy. In those few hours, fighting alongside one of his dearest friends, Loki felt as though everything was back to normal, and for those few hours, he gave into it, revelled at the comforting sensation. This – it was all just another adventure that his brother dragged him into. It was just another adventure that had taken a turn for the worst, and they were once again fighting for their lives.

Loki allowed that fantasy to play out before him until the invading army started gaining ground. When he realised that they were drawing closer and closer to the Palace of Asgard, Loki snapped out of his fantasy and started planning his next course of action. Attuning into his senses, he realised that Fandral was not near him like he was before. And despite his instincts kicking in, demanding and pleading for him to look for his friend, Loki knew that he had to ensure that the enemies did not get into the Palace. That was where his mother and fa – where his mother and the _AllFather_ were, and he couldn't allow the King and Queen to be put in danger.

Quickly putting an end to the foe he was fighting, Loki summoned his energy and cloaked himself in magic before taking off in the direction of the Palace. With the threat of the Palace being compromised, he did not have time to stop and fight, especially not with the unease that was slowly building within Loki. He did not know where the dread came from or why he felt the need to run faster, but when it started to get stronger, Loki didn't fight it. Giving into the fear and the dread that was slowly started to absorb him, Loki pushed himself to go faster. The war was pushed aside, as was Thor and Fandral's disappearance. The only thing on his mind was getting to the Palace of Asgard so he could protect the one person in the world who had never truly abandoned him – his mother. He wouldn't let her die or get hurt. He couldn't. It was those thoughts that claimed Loki's mind, distracted him from seeing the veil of magic that was surrounding the first courtyard off to the side. He didn't see it until he was upon it, and he had no time to slow down or stop.

He felt like he inhaled water, felt something collect in his lungs, causing him to fall to his knees, coughing hysterically, trying to clear it. He wheezed and he choked until his magic was able to get in and counteract whatever had happened. He was out of breath and dizzy, but it didn't take Loki long at all to realise that the magic he felt was the very magic that claimed several of their enemy soldiers. He could feel his senses growing alert, and when he had that strength to look up, he noticed three things in quick secession.

The first thing Loki noticed was Fandral. At first he didn't understand, and for a millisecond, he honestly thought that Fandral was the one who caused all of it. His entire body lit with betrayal at the very thought, but the second thing Loki noticed washed all of that away. He could feel the relief coursing over him, and he almost laughed at his absurdity before he noticed the fatal wound on Fandral's chest. The cocky, arrogant friend that Loki had known for hundreds of years was gone, replaced by a man who was simply struggling to stay alive. Loki scrambled to his feet, ignoring the wave of dizziness that threatened to knock him down again, and quickly made his way to Fandral, falling to his knees once more beside him. It was as he was pressing his hands against the wound, trying to stem the bleeding, that he noticed the third thing that stood out clearly in the courtyard – an older man sitting on one of the benches. Loki could feel his entire body tensing, but he forced it down. He had Fandral to worry about, as well as his mother. He couldn't do anything rash that would cause them potential harm.

"Who are you?" Loki asked his voice demanding and strong, despite what he was feeling on the inside. And that was another thing that he could not understand – why was he so afraid? Glancing down at Fandral, he could feel his heart racing while Fandral's seemed to slow. He was terrified for him. He was shocked to find that the hands he had pressed against Fandral's chest were shaking slightly. He did not understand why. Had he not denounced all of the people he once called friend, just has he had his family? "What do you want?"

"You know who I am, boy," The old man said, his eyes fastening sharply to Loki. They did not waver and they did not shift, and there was something eerily familiar about them, but at that moment, Loki could not figure them out.

"Alright …" He said slowly, ignoring the blood that was oozing from between his fingers. In order to help Fandral now, Loki had to find out what was going on. "Why are you here?"

A soft, ominous chuckle fell from the old man's lips, sending a sliver of fear shooting down Loki's spine. He knew that chuckle, knew that face, but he couldn't figure out from where. It frustrated him, but above all, it terrified him. He could feel the old man's power, could feel it pulsating all around him. It was powerful and it was strong, and Loki knew for a fact that there was no way he could beat it. "Why am I here, you ask. You are wise Loki Odinson, but you ask such boring questions. Why do you think I'm here? I come with an army to a place that is not my home. What do you think will happen?"

"I think you will fail," Loki said, his voice stronger than it was before. He did not know why the old man was there, what purpose he hoped to accomplish, but he would find it. "Asgard may not be your home, but our strength is known throughout all the Realms. Your army will fail – they will not make it past the wall. You came with a purpose – what was it?"

The old man stared at Loki for a long while, assessing him, analysing him. The entire time, Loki returned his stare, though his heart was hammering in his chest. He didn't know what to expect from him, and that alone was nerve-wracking. But he didn't stir, didn't look away. The old man would have to be the one to do that first. And he did after a few moments of silence. That eerie chuckle met Loki's ears again, and he held his breath as he waited for what was to come.

"I have heard a great deal of things about you, little Frost Giant," He said, watching in interest as Loki tensed, his entire body freezing on spot. "You tried to destroy Jotunheim, tried to kill off your very own people, your kin."

"I have no love for them," Loki growled, anger coursing through his veins. He was furious, he was nervous, and he had absolutely no idea why the old man was talking to him as though they knew each other. Loki couldn't remember him, though he looked familiar.

"That we agree on."

Loki shook his head, clearly annoyed with the direction their conversation was going. He could feel Fandral's life slipping away from him and he wasn't any closer to finding out why the old man was there to begin with. "What do you want?"

"Asgard's destruction and your help," He said, his voice nonchalant, as though he did not just ask Loki to help him commit treason – again.

Slowly rising to his feet, Loki stepped away from Fandral. If there was to be a fight – and there would surely be a fight – he didn't want his old friend to be caught in the crossfire. Loki concentrated on the old man, who had risen from the place he was sitting at. He was walking around slowly, looking at architecture, as though he hadn't a care in the world. Loki wasn't fooled, though. He knew that the old man was watching and analysing him just as much as he was. They were looking for weaknesses, anything that could be used against the other. Loki knew that he was at a disadvantage – Fandral was already being used against him. He yet again wondered why he cared, why he was taking into account Fandral's safety when he didn't wish to care anymore, but Loki knew that thinking and tricking himself would do him no favours. As much as he would like to think otherwise, his family and friends would always be his weakness, even if he tried desperately to hate them.

"I won't help you," Loki finally said, searching deep within him, trying to dredge up traces of magic, anything that could help him against his foe. Deep down, he knew that it probably wouldn't do him any good. The power that the old man held was dark and old – far older than Loki's years. He hardly stood a chance at all.

"You will – by force if need be."

"Who are you?"

"You would not remember me. You were not even thought of at the time. But I'm sure you know of my name, of the treacherous acts I have committed on Asgardian soil," The old man grinned, showing far too many teeth for Loki's liking. It was a mischievous grin, a dark grin, a grin that Loki could easily recall having on his own face whenever he was about to act on something that no-one would like. He braced himself for what was to come. "My name is Cul, brother of Odin. You might know of him," He chuckled once more. "He is the man who claims to love you as he does his own yelp."

And Loki could see it. It all hit him – sitting in the library on a leisurely day, looking up pictures and information on some of Asgard's heinous criminals. He was in the restricted part of the library, some place that Odin had forbidden him to go into until he was much older, but Loki wasn't one for listening. He enjoyed doing what he wanted to do. Cul had his own little section towards the back of the book, and the treatment he bestowed on his people as King were enough to give Loki nightmares for close to a fortnight. Odin never talked about his older brother, never mentioned him or allowed anyone to speak of his name. It wasn't until that very day that Loki even knew he had an uncle on his father's side.

"You …" Loki stammered, shocked and confused and feeling so terribly alone. He knew he was no threat to this man – _his uncle_ – and that thought alone worried him considerably, though he tried to keep that emoticon from his features. The last thing he wanted was for him to see a weakness.

"I know it must be a lot to take in. Your father never cared for me much. But I will be fair to you, and when I take over your soul, I'll even save your friend."

In a blink of an eye, Cul was suddenly standing before Loki, and before he could even utter a single sound, he felt such incredible pain. He fell to the floor and grabbed his chest, unable to comprehend what was happening, only aware of the fact that his entire being was pushed to the side. Control over his body and mind was taken away and Loki could barely hear Fandral weakly calling out to him before he blacked out completely.

Standing to his feet, Cul slowly walked over to puddle off to the side. Crouching down, he peered into the murky water, smiling down at the face before him. Emerald green eyes stared back at him, his hair, once grey, was now jet black. He chuckled and cracked his neck before walking back to the man who was bleeding on the floor.

"There, there," Cul said, placing a pale white hand on the man's forehead. "I will keep my word and heal you. Do not fret."

"W-what have you d-done?" He pitifully demanded, staring up at Cul in shock. "Loki?"

"Ah," He shook his head, stroking the man's forehead. A name came to mind, as well as a feeling. He could feel Loki attempting to fight for control, but Cul simply pushed him back further. "I have taken over his body, Fandral. I have use of him. But do not worry; I won't kill you for witnessing what I have done. By the time I heal you, you will not have remembered this."

He chuckled once more and set about healing Fandral of his chest wound. Like he had stated, when Fandral was healed, he did not remember what was said and what had transpired. Cul was easily able to come up with a lie, one that the blonde warrior bought without hesitation. Together, the two men made their way closer to the fight, with Cul acting and pretending in the way that he knew Loki did. The first part of his plan was a success – the fun was only just beginning now.


End file.
